What is This New Backside Illumination on the New iPhone?

Recently Apple announced the new iPhone and a number of the hardware changes were targeted at the camera. Thanks to the infamous lost iPhone fiasco we expected the 5 mega-pixel camera and flash, but Jobs announced the camera had backside illumination. That left us puzzled so we did a some research on camera chips.

What is backside illumination?

First stop giggling... OK... I'll admit I think they could have found a better name. Some of the jokes I saw on Twitter seemed to be especially crude about this feature. Backside illumination is a trick of getting better digital photos by getting more of the available light to where it is measured.

First an overview on digital cameras

The key part of all digital cameras is a chip called the CCD (charge coupled device) which senses the light falling on its surface. The light affects the charge a grid of millions of tiny capacitors created on the silicon when the chip is made (making chips is called fabrication and involves a lot of etching and depositing of thin layers and different materials in precisely controlled ways). For simplicity just think about black and white CCD's where the array of capacitors corresponds to the array of pixels which make up a digital image (color sometimes uses a lot more tricks). The chip has additional circuitry that measures the charge of all of the capacitors which is basically how the light levels of the image are read. To be able to read all of these capacitors there are minutely thin wires running over the top. They're not actually wires but a thin layer of aluminum or copper that is effectively sprayed on to the chip and then carefully eaten away using acids to leave connecting traces, which are pretty much metal wires bonded to the chip.

Why backside illumination?

All those wires and other parts of the capacitors sit on top of a square silicon tile (called the die) with the capacitors at the bottom. The circuitry and wires don't obstruct it too much as it works but it does block some light and scatter some in to surrounding capacitors which reduces the quality of image captured especially with limited lighting. Back to that square silicon tile. Silicon is the main ingredient of regular glass (aka silicon dioxide) but the stuff used in making chips is a super pure silicon crystal and transparent. With backside illumination the issues with traditional CCD's of the capacitors being on the bottom is quite literally turned upside down and now you shine the image on what was the bottom of the silicon tile and let the light shine through the silicon to the capacitors. This way you avoid all the wires and get more light to the capacitors.

With this new camera chip Apple has shown some beautiful looking pictures but they key performance area will be low lighting. Capturing scenes like the last light of a fading sunset. The earlier iPhones (Original and 3G) had very basic fixed focus 2 mega-pixel cameras which struggled in low lighting. The 3GS brought auto focus and auto white balance that improved performance but still struggled with such scenes, often distorting colors. Now with the new camera chip the iPhone should take vastly improved photos, coupled with the in-built flash to handle low lighting indoors.

Taming Your Very Noisy Computer

Does your computer drive you crazy with all of the noise? Have you done everything in your power to eliminate the noise so you can at least enjoy playing your games or do your work? Are you frustrated and mad at the same time? What is the problem with your computer, you know that not all of them makes this much noise, so how are you going to fix it? Are you fed up and frustrated so much so that you are considering going to the local computer retail outlet and purchasing another computer?

Well STOP!! Quit with the complaining because there is a simpler solution than having to purchase a complete computer. After all, you have so much invested in the computer you have and all of your important information is on that noisy compute you know you do not want to transfer it to another one! No, check out these ultra quiet cases. They are much cheaper than a new computer and they are the quietest on the block. With just a switch out, you can eliminate the noise and increase your comfort level - all with these wonderful quiet computer cases.

The first case we reviewed was the Nexus Clodius Ventilation Pro Series. This quiet case has it all. It not only solves the problem of noise, it also solves the major problem you are having with heat if you are using your computer very much. I know, you only use your computer to work right? Oh yea, then you play a few games - but they lasted a very long time and not only were you totally distracted by the noise, your computer started to over-heat.

Then this the quiet, ventilation crazy computer case for you! It comes with more features than you can imagine. For example, this Nexus Clodius Ventilation Pro Series has two really silent 120mm fans which are in black and white. These noise free fans are sharp looking and come mounted with ultra quiet, soft silicone mounts. No vibration from these babies! This quiet case will also allow you to mount an extra 80, 92 or 120mm fan on the top of the case as well as one on the bottom of the case. You will be surprised at how cool your pc will run. With all the ventilation holes on the top as well as the bottom, the airflow of your computer is totally solved.

Ventilation Pro Series quiet case has anti- vibration rubber feet which prevents resonance from the case. This case is also equipped with a great fan control. We all know that keeping the temperature inside the case down will elongate the life of your computer. The Clodius does include a power control button that is surrounded by a light enhanced fan controller.

This light actually changes color as your computer changes temperatures. No watching a gauge here. If the light is blue, then you have nothing to worry about. As the computer heats up to temperatures around 45-55 Celsius then the light changes to violet. Then watch out for that red light!! Just kidding - but not! The red light indicates that the computers internal temp is over 65 degrees Celsius. That is when you need to take a break - turn that baby off and then wait for it to cool down or just turn the button up for faster rotation of the fans! What a deal and a steal for only $169.95!

SilverStone SST-TJ10B is based on the Temjin TJ09 chassis. This great new addition, the Temjin TJ10, just takes it to a new level. It has totally perfected the fusion of a classic tower case with the newest technology around for a chassis. It looks the same as the Temjin Tj09 chassis but has oh so many more improvements. And you just thought that you couldn't improve upon perfection!

This case has a mid-section air duct which does the job right by bypassing the hard drive cage with a 120mm fan. This 120mm fan draws the cool air from the room which offers additional cooling for those extended length graphics cards. If you were able to keep your graphics cards from heating up in the last model, then they will run even smoother on this model.

This new SilverStone SST-TJ10B embodies all the technology available today with its superior chassis stiffness and user friendly layout that allows you to access everything from multiple tool-free access. An over-all good buy at $359.95.

The Antec Sonata III is a very popular quiet case. It's good looking with that classic look of a piano finish and has great features too. The Sonata case is can be optimized with your choice of Nexus power supplies and Nexus 120mm case fans. If this is not enough to customize your case, then they do throw in an Acoustipack Custom Antec Sonata case insulation that increase the noise reduction.

Other features are the chassis air duct that will keep all the graphic cards and cpu running cool. The power supply has a single fan which also enhances the coolness. No over-heating this Antec SmartPower 2.0 power supply. The fan case comes with 3-speed controls so if your cpu does get to running a little hot, then just up those fans! A new addition is the washable air filters so that you will never have to purchase as new one! All of this only comes to $129.95!

Scrabble Tips

Scrabble is a great game for building your vocabulary. There are definitely a few ways you can play the game to give you an edge. Here are some powerful scrabble tips.

1. Try to use Hard Letters first.

Letters like X and Z are high point letters, but there is not much you can use them for. You are going to want to look for every turn to use them. This way you get the letters out of the way and they do not turn against you at the end of the game when you are trying to get rid of your remaining letters and all you have is Q X Z.

2. Try to use up your letters.

I know it is hard but if at all possible try to use up all of your letters. Remember if you use them all up you get a bonus plus you get to draw 7 completely new tiles.

3. Look For Hot Spots

You are going to want to pay close attention to those hot spots on the board, particularly the double word and triple word scores. Try to find a word that fits onto one of those places before someone else does.

4. Save your Ss

I always see people using their S tiles to build low point words like storm or snow. Don't do this; an S can be the most important piece on the board. You can use them to make someone else's high point word go in your favor. So if someone puts down a 50 point word they are happy. Now say you have an S you can put it on the end of that word and get those point yourself.

5. Always Plan Ahead

The time to think about what you are going to put down and where the best spot to put it down is before your turn comes up. This can help you find the best possible word to play and get the highest amount of points.

The History of Pai Gow

Tracing its roots to ancient Chinese gaming, Pai Gow is literally translated as "make nine". Pai Gow is a Chinese game, believed to be thousands of years old, and played with Chinese domino tile sets. The beauty of Pai Gow has attracted the curiosity of gaming audiences in cities such as Nevada and California.

In ancient Chinese, the translation of p'ai is a term designated both for cards and dominoes. The reason for the use on both objects is that there is no main difference between dominoes and cards in China. During the early Chinese dynasties, dominoes are precisely used as cards. Dominoes are packed and treated the same way as cards.

Prior to the birth of Pai Gow, there were already two old Chinese gambling games that may have been the reason for the development of Pai Gow. They are yu-p'u and yeh-tza. Some players consider the two games as card games. There are others, however, who consider that the game of yu-p'u to be similar to a modern poker dice or something similar to it. Only the game of yeh-tza might be considered as a card game since it literally means leaves. Many authors believe that the possibility of using leaves as cards is very apparent.

The movement of time and the availability of new materials paved the way for the formation Ku P'ai, which curiously resembles a game using dominoes. It is further believed that yu-p'u, the ancient form of gambling considered as poker dice game, is the root of Chinese domino games. A domino, after all, is nothing but a pair of dice placed side by side. Chinese dominoes, which could be traced from the writings during Song Dynasty (1120 AD), have developed since then. They are used in several tile-based games, namely, Pai Gow, Tien Gow, Gwat Pai, Che Deng, Tiu U, Kap Tai Shap.

Pai Gow today is played very similar to many existing card games. The only main difference is that domino tiles are used instead of cards. The similarities to card games such as poker could make Pai Gow something to be enjoyed as a recreational card game. There is no doubt about it; those who begin to learn Pai Gow often end up becoming more than enthusiastic about the game. After all, it only takes a very short time to realize the beauty and ease in playing this popular Chinese game.

The popularity of Pai Gow has ushered into the development of Pai Gow Poker, an American version of the popular Chinese Pai Gow. It is a game played using cards, instead of the traditional dominoes, and is growing in popularity in various casinos as a source of amusement and fun.

Improve Your Students' Skills with Puzzles and Games

Pattern recognition, spatial relationships, and logical thinking are all necessary skills as students learn to read, do math, and develop problem-solving strategies. Having a big collection of puzzles and games on hand can make developing these skills fun.

Many children's magazines contain creative, age-appropriate games that reinforce the content of the text, but that's only one source. You can also enlist parents to contribute crossword puzzles and other games they find from newspapers and magazines.

Sudoku is all the rage now; papers from the local daily to the New York Times carry at least one sudoku puzzle in every issue. Each puzzle consists of a large square, divided into nine sections in a 3X3 pattern, each of which is divided into nine more squares, also in a 3x3 pattern. The object of the game is to place the numerals from 1 to 9 in each of the nine squares of each section; numerals cannot be repeated within the sections or across or up and down in any line of squares. A great way for older kids to practice pattern recognition and problem solving strategies, the sudoku puzzles range from the simple to the maddeningly difficult; the New York Post offers both an easy and difficult puzzle in every issue, and sells sudoku books as well. A number of websites offer free sukodu puzzles playable online, and offer software programs which can be purchased and downloaded; start with sudoku.com.

Mah jongg is an ancient Asian game traditionally played with decorative tiles arranged and stacked in a three-dimensional pattern. The object of the game is to find two identical tiles and remove them from the pile; the trick is that the tiles cannot have another tile located on top of it or to the left or right; one side has to be free. Sort of like an elaborate version of "Old Maid" or "Go Fish," the tiles have both simple and complex patterns; several patterns have subtle differences, demanding fine-tuned pattern recognition skills in addition to spatial relationship abilities. Simplified versions are available for younger children. Kids who enjoy tactile kinesthetic activities will have fun manipulating the tiles; visually oriented computer fans may prefer one of the many mah jongg programs available online. Both multi-player and solitaire versions are available; play a solitaire version free; or check out multiple versions of mah jongg for kids.

Yahooligans.com includes a huge collection of games and other interesting info for kids. Other websites offer games which can be played online with other web surfers around the world, but if you're thinking of allowing your students access to a game site online, be sure to check it out and monitor the kids frequently, to make sure they don't end up in communication with the wrong people.

You may want to use these games as a springboard for yourself or your students to develop their own games, for themselves or for younger kids. A version of sudoku for younger kids, for example, might involve pictures of nine different kinds of animals; find a few very simple sudoku puzzles and substitute nine different animal pictures for the numbers. Create a giant sudoku grid and make big cardboard or wooden animal pieces to make it easy for little hands to manipulate them. However you decide to incorporate games and puzzles into your classroom, it's a great way to keep kids learning while they play.

Improve your skills Students' with puzzles and games

pattern recognition, spatial relations, and logical thinking are all necessary skills as students learn to read, do math, and develop strategies. After a large collection of puzzles and games on hand, the development of these skills entertainment.

Many children magazines contain creative, age-appropriate games that reinforce the text content, but that is only one source. You can also get parents work crossword puzzles and otherGames> are from newspapers and magazines.

Sudoku is on everyone's lips now, and cards from the local newspaper the New York Times leads at least one Sudoku puzzle in each issue. Each puzzle consists of a large square, divided into nine sections, according to a 3x3 pattern, each divided into nine squares is more, even in a 3x3 model. The goal of the game is a space to the number of 9 in each of the nine squares of the individual sections, the figures can not be repeated within theParties or through or up and down each row of squares. A good way for older children pattern recognition and the range of practical solutions, Sudoku, from simple to difficult maddening puzzle the New York Post offer easy and difficult in every issue, Sudoku and sells books. A number of sites offer free sukodu virtual mystery games and software offering that may be purchased and downloaded, start with sudoku.com.

Mah Jongg isan ancient Asian game traditionally played with decorative tiles arranged and stacked in a three dimensional model. The goal is to find two identical tiles and remove them from the crowd, the trick is that tiles can not be yet another stone on it or left, or, on the one hand has to be free. A bit 'like a fancy version of "Old Maid" or "Go Fish", the tiles are both simple and complex models;some forms are small differences, developing sophisticated pattern recognition capabilities in addition to spatial relationship abilities. A simplified version for younger children. The children, activities to enjoy tactile kinesthetic has fun manipulating the tiles, visually oriented computer fans may prefer one of the many programs online Mah Jongg. Both multi-player and solitaire versions are available; play Solitaire version for free, or click on more versionsMah Jongg for children.

Yahooligans.com contains a vast collection of games and other interesting information for children. Other sites that offer games in the world can be played online with web surfers around, but if you thought possible for your students online access to a game site, be sure to check it out and monitor frequently to ensure that children do not end in communication with the wrong people.

You might want to use one of these gamesSpringboard for themselves or students to develop their own games, for themselves or for younger children. A version of Sudoku for younger children, for example, may contain images of nine different species of animals and found a few very simple sudoku puzzles and replace nine photographs of different animals to the numbers. Create a giant sudoku and make great pieces of cardboard or wooden animals to make it easier for small hands to manipulate. However you decide to take over gamesand puzzles in your classroom is a great way to reach children while they play.

Simple ways to Remodel your kitchen

The kitchen is and has always been the heart of the home. It has something to with the fact that a good meal just draws people inevitably something else and the fact that the kitchen is a good place to hang out for families to do. Your children probably the tasks in the kitchen and cook. They eat meals there, play there, and enjoy family and friends here. For all these reasons, you need a nice kitchen. Fortunately, kitchen remodeling, Toronto is notso difficult. Here are some super easy ways to make your kitchen, without a lot of additional work again.

Replacing the floor like stupid and imperceptibly, but in reality is a fantastic opportunity to change the look of your kitchen. This is especially true when passed linoleum floors. Drag that linoleum and replacing it with tile or hardwood. You'll be amazed by the transformation. You can add some 'color to your kitchen and look all beautiful anddemanding.

Another excellent option is to replace your devices. This also has an element of practicality, if not the fridge or your stove is not enough room really hot. A particularly pleasing is your beautiful kitchen with stainless steel appliances that go with almost any look. If you really want to do something flashy, you can keep your devices always in harmony in your wardrobe, look for your kitchen can be continuous andtraditional.

Cabinets are a good way to update your kitchen. Something as simple and straightforward, such as changing the buttons and knobs on your cabinets can make a big difference. Replace older metal buttons with a glass of those strange feeling to replace the metal with stainless steel or darker, for a modern look. Another option is to paint the cabinets, cut designs in their centers, or replace the front doors with glass doors.

Finally, you can be your kitchenceilings with beautiful and functional. Many people with a traditional cuisine, Toronto, countertops are old. These can be replaced with durable granite. These are not only beautiful but also useful. Can be quite superfluous for cutting boards, as a kitchen knife, even a scratch in granite. Marble sections are also ideal for bakeries, which have been mixed in a fresh pasta dough.